[BLACKJACK]

HEY, RICK - - -

WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO A VISIT WITH YOU AND YOUR DAD. I'M SURE WE'LL FIND SOME KIND OF EXOTIC TROUBLE TO GET INTO THAT DAY.

THE VIENNA INN IS ON MAPLE AVENUE IN VIENNA. T.C. WILLIAMS H.S. IS IN FAIRFAX. THE VIENNA INN IS CLOSER TO MADISON H.S. THAN ANY OTHER.

LEST US KNOW WHERE YOU'LL BE STAYING AND WE'LL GIVE YOU EXACT DIRECTIONS OR COME AND PICK YOU GUYS UP.


ALL - - -

ONE THOUGHT ON ERA/CONTEMPORARY/UNIQUE VS. THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD AN ERA 427 WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN A 427 OR 428 BIG BLOCK YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE A LOT OF MONEY IF YOU EVER DECIDE TO SELL IT.

MY ERA WITH A 427 SIDE OILER, DUAL HOLLEY FOUR BARRELS, 4 SPEED TOP LOADER, JAG REAR, ETC. ETC. JUST RECENTLY APPRAISED FOR $72,500.00 REPLACEMENT COST. THE SAME CAR WITH A 390 FE ENGINE WOULD BE ABOUT 5K TO 7K LESS. WITH A STROKED 351 (427 C.I.) IT WOULD BE ABOUT 55K TO 57K TOPS.

WHEN PEOPLE PURCHASE A "PREVIOUSLY OWNED" ERA, CONTEMPORARY OR UNIQUE THEY EXPECT A CERTAIN LEVEL OF P.C. (PERIOD CORRECTNESS). THAT'S WHAT CREATES THE INTEREST IN THESE BRANDS TO BEGIN WITH. THE MORE "P.C." YOU BUILD INTO THE CAR TO BEGIN WITH THE BETTER YOU'LL BE IF YOU EVER SELL IT. ADDITIONALLY, THE MORE P.C. THE QUICKER IT WILL SELL - BY A LONG SHOT - AGAIN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THAT PARTICULAR MARKET IS LOOKING FOR.

NOW - HAVING SAID ALL THAT - - - THE MORE P.C. YOU BUILD INTO IT THE MORE TIME YOU ARE LIKELY TO SPEND IN THE GARAGE INSTEAD OF ON THE ROAD.

THERE ARE SOME ABSOLUTELY STUNNING FACTORY FIVES IN THE CAPITAL AREA COBRA CLUB - MORE THAN ANY OTHER BRAND (PROBABLY). I MEAN REALLY GREAT LOOKING COBRAS THAT ANYONE WOULD BE PROUD TO DRIVE. WITH A LOT OF THESE GUYS IT'S NOT THE "SAVINGS" - IT'S THE CHALLENGE AND THE PLEASURE OF THE BUILD. (RAIN MAN, RIPPER AND THE REST HAVE ALL GOT MORE MONEY THAN GOD). DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF WORK THE OWNER WAS WILLING TO DO SOME OF THESE GUYS HAVE GOT LESS THAN 25K IN THE CAR INCLUDING A NICE PAINT JOB. WITH MOST OF THE RUNNING GEAR RECOVERED FROM LATE MODEL DONOR CARS THE RELABILITY FACTOR GOES WAY UP - -NOT TO MENTION THE CONVENIENCE OF READILY AVAILABLE PARTS WHEN SOMETHING DOES BREAK. (I SPENT ABOUT FIVE HOURS ON A RECENT ROAD TRIP TRYING TO FIND A MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP FOR AN FE ENGINE).

PERFORMANCE - SOMETHING NEAR AND DEAR TO ALL OF OUR HEARTS - IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO MAKE OF IT.

THE FACTORY FIVE GUYS - WITH THEIR "SMALL BLOCKS" THROW A BIG BLOWER ON THEM AND THEY'LL EMBARASS A LOT OF BIG BLOCK GUYS. MY ENGINE AT ABOUT 550HP WITH A 13:1 COMP. RATIO WON'T TAKE A LOT OF "GUFF" FROM ANY COBRA. HOWEVER EVERY TIME I JAM MY FOOT INTO IT - IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD I'M CALCULATING HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST ME IF THE DAMN THING FLIES APART. (PROBABLY IN THE AREA OF 20 TO 25K). THE FFR GUYS, ON THE OTHER HAND ARE ABSOLUTELY CAVALIER ABOU IT. IF THEY DISINTEGRATE THEIR SMALL BLOCK THEY SIMPLY JACK UP THE BLOWER AND FOR ABOUT $500.00 BUCKS - TOPS - THEY SLIDE ANOTHER DONOR SMALL BLOCK UNDER IT.

THERE IS A LOT TO BE SAID ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT BRANDS. THE DECISION COMES DOWN TO :
** WHAT DO YOU WANT TO USE THE CAR FOR??
** HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DRIVE IT??
** HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO (OR ALLOWED TO) SPEND ON IT.
** IS IT GOING TO BE A DAILY DRIVER - AT LEAST IN THE "NICE" MONTHS??

PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO IT IS NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO MAKE YOU HAPPIER WITH YOUR COBRA. ONCE YOU DECIDE EXACTLY WHAT ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU YOU CAN MAKE INTELLIGENT CHOICES.

GOOD LUCK - AND - Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY.

BLACKJACK